Session 3: A prototype record keeping system

Purpose:

Trainees will review a record keeping system developed for use in
community nutrition projects. The system can be simplified or expanded,
depending on the need for information and the educational level of project
workers.

Time: 1/2 hour

Materials

- Copies of "Prototype Record Keeping System"

1. Road to Health Chart2. Family Record3. Daily Activity
Log4. Community Report5. Charts for Data Analysis6. Summary List of
Program Records and Reports

Steps:

1. Distribute the "Prototype Record Keeping System."

Explain that CEDPA has used this basic system in programs in Nepal
and Kenya. The important characteristics of the system are:

- It is designed to collect only the information required to
monitor and evaluate specific project objectives and activities.- Each level
of record keeping leads to the next.- Records are designed to help the
mother, worker and manager analyze and use the information on them to analyze
and improve their efforts.

2. Review each element of the "Prototype Record Keeping System,"
beginning with the "Road to Health Chart." (The "Road to Health Chart" can be
substituted for by a simple card on which arm circumference or weights are
recorded.)

Discuss:

- Characteristics of each form- Who completes it- What is
done with it- Examples of how it is filled out and how information on it can
be used to identify problems and progress

3. The final page of the " Prototype Record Keeping System" lists,
in diagram form, the project's records and reports, by whom they are completed
and who keeps or receives them. Review this with trainees.

4. Summarize: The record keeping system presented in this session
focuses on documenting project activities and results. Each project should
develop its own system for record keeping and reporting. This prototype system
demonstrates the need for:

- Simplicity - Limited data collection - Data related to
problems and interventions - Collection and analysis of data by those who
need it to make critical project decisions

HANDOUT

PROTOTYPE RECORD KEEPING SYSTEM

1. Road to Health Chart2. Family Record3.
Daily Activity Log4. Community Report5. Charts for Data
Analysis6. Summary List of Program Records and Reports

1. Road to Health Chart

A Road to Health Chart with basic information about nutrition,
immunization status and illness is completed for each child. This chart is put
in a plastic envelope and given to the mother. The mother brings her children's
cards with her to each growth monitoring activity.

Road to health chart

2. Family Record

Village health workers or volunteers keep a record on each family
in their area. The information recorded on the card is directly related to the
specific program's objectives.

For example, if prevention of diarrhea is a priority objective,
information about the occurrence of diarrhea, distribution of ORS packets and
home treatment may be routinely collected. For nutrition status, the
measurements and cutoff points used by the program would be recorded, i.e., arm
circumference less than 12.5, between 12.5 and 13.5, or greater than 13.5, or
red, yellow, green.

The advantage of this type of family record is that it displays
priority information about each child and mother in chronological order. We can
see, at a glance, what has happened to the nutrition and immunization status of
a child, the family planning acceptance of the couple, etc.

The Family Record can be printed on heavy paper and kept as a
card. Or, it can be printed and bound as a register. A sample Family Record is
illustrated on the following page.

2. Family record

Family :

Maternal/Child health and family planning register
:

Village :

Health Worker :

Woman's Name :

Age :

Live births :

Living children :

Address :

DATE OF CONTACT :

Woman :

Repro. Status

FP/Method

Contraceptive

CHILDREN UNDER 5 :

NAME :

AGE :

Nutrition

A/C

Weight

Immun :

Polio

1

2

3

DPT

1

2

3

Measles

BCG

Diarrhea :

During last two weeks ?

If yes, treated with ORS ?

NAME :

AGE :

Nutrition

A/C

Weight

Immun :

Polio

1

2

3

DPT

1

2

3

Measles

BCG

Diarrhea :

During last two weeks ?

If yes, treated with ORS ?

NAME :

AGE :

Nutrition

A/C

Weight

Immun :

Polio

1

2

3

DPT

1

2

3

Measles

BCG

Diarrhea :

During last two weeks ?

If yes, treated with ORS ?

Instructions :

Women :

Reproductive Status - Write one of the following : Breastfeeding,
Pregnant, Family Planning, At RiskFamily Planning/Method - Write the method
used

Children under 5 years - Complete one block foe each child in the
family under 5 years old.

III - 2, 22

A/C = Arm Circumference - Write the child arm's
circumference.Weight - enter either the actual weight of the child or the
nutrition classification of weight for age from the growth
chart.Immunization - At the time of registration, mark all vaccines that a
child has taken. At every other contact, mark only new vaccines
taken.Diarrhea during last two weeks? - Write yes next to this question if
the child has had diarrhea during the past two weeks.Ask the mother how
diarrhea has treated. If the mentions ORS, write yes next to the question
"If yes, treated with ORS?"

3. Daily Activity Log

Workers, dispensaries/clinics keep a daily record of special
project services and activities. At the end of each month, these daily records
are used to complete the monthly report.

Example:

Date

Type of Activity

Description/Results

4. Community Report

Information for the Community Report is taken directly from family
records and the daily activity log.

Nutrition Status

Village

Month

1. Total children less than 5 years in village/area2. Total
children less than 5 years in area with growth card3. Total children less
than 5 years weighed/assessed this month4. Total children gaining weight
from last month to this month5. Total children malnourished: